🔗 Share this article Spanish Woman Who Gained Fame for Botching a Prized Fresco Restoration Has Died at Age 94 Cecilia Giménez's handiwork of the Ecce Homo fresco. The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her infamous restoration attempt on a valuable religious painting has died at the age 94. The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she undertook to restore a century-old fresco titled Ecce Homo housed within her parish church. Giménez's restoration effort spread across the internet and earned the moniker "Potato Jesus", because the resulting depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate. Official Confirmation and Homage The nonagenarian's passing was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a young age". "Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," the mayor posted. Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to apply new paint over the original". The Painting's Background and the Now-Infamous Act The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza. In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the parish priest to proceed. She added at the time that anybody who entered the church would have seen she was painting over the original image. An Unexpected Economic Lifeline The aftermath of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" meme and transformed the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major visitor attraction. The municipality, which had in the past seen only five thousand tourists per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €50,000 for charity from the interest. Today, local authorities say that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to see the notorious portrait, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass. Legacy and Community Admiration After recovering from the wave of criticism, with support from the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez went on to stage an exhibition of her paintings showcasing twenty-eight of her own works. She was praised by the mayor for her generosity and years of faithful service to the parish. Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but flawed act of restoration forged an improbable cultural icon and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.